Qualifying Information/Times/Television coverage

Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 1-42, Friday, October 22 at 3:10 pm/et, TV-ESPN2, no re-air scheduled;
AND live via radio at MRN Radio only on NASCAR.com.

RACE RUNDOWNnews and links

Hamlin wins at Martinsville: Pole sitter #11-Denny Hamlin won the TUMS Fast Relief 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway for his 7th win of 2010 and the 15th win of his career. #5-Martin [who wrecked and got the lucky dog late in the race] finished second followed by #29-Harvick, #18-Busch, #48-Johnson, #20-Logano, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #99-Edwards, #31-Burton [who led the most laps] and #12-Keselowski [first top 10 of 2010].
There were 24 lead changes among 12 drivers and 15 cautions for 90 yellow flag laps. The attendance was reported at 56,000 down from 2009 which was 64,000.Scheduled Race Re-Airs are ESPN2, Sunday, October 25 at 2:00am/et; and SPEED, October 27 at 12:00pm/et.
See race results, awards, laps led and more on Jayski's Martinsville Race Results/Awards page.(10-24-2010)

Martinsville Facts and Notes:
• Denny Hamlin won the Sprint Cup Series Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday from the pole. It was his 15th victory in his 183rd start and his seventh of 2010, the most by any driver. It was the sixth time a Chase driver won in seven Martinsville Chase races (since 2004). Hamlin was the fifth different Chase winner in six 2010 Chase races. He earned his fourth Martinsville victory in his 11th race and has now won the past three. He has scored top-10 finishes in 10 of his 11 Martinsville races and has finished sixth or better in his past nine Martinsville races.
• Hamlin remained second in the championship standings just six points behind first-place Jimmie Johnson with four races remaining. This is the closest points battle in the Chase with four races remaining. The previous closest Chase race came in 2005 when Tony Stewart led Johnson by 15 points.
• Hamlin's previous win came at Richmond in September. Eleven of his 15 series wins have come in the past 48 races.
• Martinsville has been won from the first-place starting position 19 times, and this was the 34th Martinsville race won from the front row.
• There have been three short-track winners in six short-track races in 2010 (Hamlin -- 3, Kyle Busch -- 2 and Jimmie Johnson -- 1).
• Jeff Burton led the most laps (134), but the leader of the most laps has failed to win 10 of the past 14 races at Martinsville.
• Joe Gibbs Racing posted its 87th series win and 10th of 2010, more than any other owner. This was JGR's seventh win at Martinsville, tied for fourth all-time with Holman Moody. JGR has won nine of the past 10 short-track races, including the past five.
• This was the 11th win in 2010 for Toyota. Chevrolet has seventeen, with Dodge and Ford earning two apiece. A Toyota has won four times at Martinsville, all in the past six races and all by Hamlin. The top 10 consisted of five Chevrolets, three Toyotas, one Ford and one Dodge. Ford has gone 16 races without a victory at Martinsville. Dodge has gone 13 races without winning at Martinsville.
• Mark Martin (finished second) came from a lap down to post his best short-track finish in 2010.
• Kevin Harvick (third) scored his first top-5 finish in 19 Martinsville races.
• Kyle Busch (fourth) tied his best Martinsville finish for the fourth time in 12 races.
• Johnson (fifth) is the only driver to score five top-5 finishes in the six Chase races, all in the past five.
• Carl Edwards finished eighth in his 225th NSCS career start.
• Jeff Gordon (20th) ended a streak of top-10 finishes in the past 15 Martinsville races.
• Elliott Sadler finished 28th in his 425th career NSCS start.
• Four Chase drivers have not won in 2010: Gordon, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Edwards.
• Marcos Ambrose (34th) led 40 laps, the most laps he has led in 79 career series races.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. led 90 laps, the most he has led in 2010 and tying the most since Richmond in September 2008.(ESPN)(10-25-2010)

Race Fast Facts - Martinsville:
#11-Denny Hamlin won the TUMS Fast Relief 500 (62nd Running), his 15th victory in 183 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his series-high seventh victory and 16th top-10 finish in 2010.
This is his fourth victory and 10th top-10 finish in 11 races at Martinsville Speedway. It is also his third consecutive win at Martinsville.
#5-Mark Martin (second) posted his 24th top-10 finish in 46 races at Martinsville Speedway. It is his ninth top-10 finish in 2010.
#29-Kevin Harvick (third) posted his eighth top-10 finish in 19 races at Martinsville Speedway.
#48-Jimmie Johnson leads the point standings by 6 points over Denny Hamlin.
This is the closest points margin between first and second with four races to go in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup era (2004-Present).(NASCAR Statistics)(10-24-2010)

Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Talladega:
No one moved in to or out of the top-35. BUT the #7 team had Robby Gordon back in the car and his 22nd place finish jump the #7 up to 34th and the #71 is 35th now, but is 47 pts ahead of 36th, 27 more points then last week.
33) #37-Gilliland/Front Row, 2341, +112
34) #7-Gordon-Conway/RGM, 2278, +49
35) #71-Sadler/TRG: 2276, 47 points ahead of 36ththese teams/ drivers must qualify by speed:
36) #38-Kvapil/Front Row: 2229, -47 points out of the top 35
37) #26-Schrader/Latitude43: 2113, -163
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
For the owner points standings, see my Owners Points Standings page.(10-24-2010)

Pit Stall Selections - Martinsville: The selections of pit stalls for the Tums Fast Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway have been made. Pole sitter #11-Hamlin chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #47-Ambrose took pit stall 11, the first with an opening in front of it [after the 1st stall of course].
#16-Biffle, who starts 3rd took the 2nd pit stall, right behind the pole sitter.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #31-Burton, who starts 18th.
To see where all the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on the Pit Stall Selection chart.(10-23-2010)

The Chase Is On: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goes Short Track Racing: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series goes short track racing for the only time in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship with a 500-lap race at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 24, and ESPN will have a live telecast. NASCAR Countdown airs on ESPN2 at 12:00pm/et with the race telecast on ESPN at 1:00pm/et. The race’s green flag is scheduled for 1:13 pm/et. ESPN2 will air NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying on Friday, Oct. 22, at 3:00pm/et as well as same-day coverage of Happy Hour final practice on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 pm/et.
Marty Reid will call the action with analysis by Dale Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, and two-time champion crew chief Andy Petree. Two-time champion crew chief Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage, while pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Dr. Jerry Punch.
NASCAR Countdown from the ESPN pit studio will be hosted by Allen Bestwick with analysis by 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion driver Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty, a team owner in the series. The studio team will interact with the booth during the telecast of the race.

Lowest-finishing, non-wrecked car to be inspected: NASCAR has instituted a new postrace inspection policy for Sprint Cup races in which the first car out of the race that is not involved in an accident will be held for teardown, much like the cars that currently finish in the top five. That meant that Aric Almirola’s #09 Phoenix Racing’s Chevy was thoroughly inspected after the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race. His engine was taken to be torn down later this week at the NASCAR R&D center in Concord, NC. The policy is expected to impact the start-and-park teams – teams that typically bring a car but don’t have funding to run the entire event. These teams often are not in the top 35 in owner points, so they are required to qualify on speed. The new policy means it is likely that one of the cars that qualify on speed for every race will end up getting torn down. NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Sunday the move was not to discourage start-and-park teams. “We’re just expanding our inspection process and making sure that everybody feels like everybody is on the same playing field, that’s all,” Pemberton said. “It’s all about making sure that the guys who get beat that don’t make the race understand that the guys who get in the race, for the most part, are doing everything right.” The move could cost these teams money, as they will have to pay for an engine rebuild that they might not have needed if they didn’t run many laps. Pemberton said the engine might not be torn down weekly but acknowledged it could cost teams $30,000 for a rebuild. That could lead to those teams racing more instead of risking the cost of a rebuild. Or it could lead to those teams not showing up if they can’t afford to have the motor rebuilt.(SceneDaily)(3-1-2010)

NASCAR Revises Green-White-Checkered Race Procedure: NASCAR announced a revision to one of its race procedures, allowing a maximum of three restart attempts prior to the White Flag under NASCAR's Green-White-Checkered flag finish. If the leader has taken the White Flag and the caution flag is displayed, the field is frozen and the race will not be restarted. Previously, there was only one restart attempt. The new procedure will be implemented beginning with today's running of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Gatorade Duel at Daytona and will apply to all three national series. NASCAR officials met with drivers and teams Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway to discuss the change and get their input. The announcement was made during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' drivers and crew chiefs meeting Thursday morning. "We want to do all we can to finish our races under green flag conditions – the fans want to see that and so do the competitors," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "We felt that putting a cap at three attempts to finish the race under green is the way to go. It gives the fans what they want and it also gives the teams a better opportunity to prepare for their end of race strategy." The change amends procedure 9-14C of the 2010 NASCAR rulebook.(NASCAR), see rules and notes on my Green-White-Checker rule page.(2-11-2010)

NASCAR tweaks wave-around rule: NASCAR has tweaked its rule on wave-around cars under caution. The new rule now dictates that cars under penalty at the time of the caution are ineligible for the wave around. The change began last week with the Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway after a situation came up in the Nationwide Series race that was new to the double-file restart system instituted in June. In the Nationwide race, Roush Fenway Racing's Carl Edwards was penalized for speeding under green, and then the caution came out. He stayed out and didn't pit and then was among those cars on the end of the lead lap. He then got the "wave around" the caution car (along with the rest of the cars that had stayed out and were on the end of the lead lap) to get to the rear of the line of lead-lap cars. Edwards then went to the end of the line to serve his penalty. That move would not be allowed anymore. The driver would not get the wave around and would start a lap down at the rear of the field on the restart, the penalty for a driver who had a speeding penalty under green but never served it before the caution came out. The new rule in general is any driver under penalty is no longer eligible for the wave around.(SceneDaily)(10-11-2009)

Hamlin wins pole at Martisnville: #11-Denny Hamlin won the Coors Pole for the Tums Fast Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway with a speed of 97.018mph for his 2nd pole of 2010 and 9th of his career.
#47-Ambrose will start 2nd followed by #16-Biffle, #39-Newman, #42-Montoya, #14-Stewart, #99-Edwards, #00-Reutimann, #1-McMurray and #6-Ragan.
The go-or-go homers who made the race (8): #13-Mears, #09-BLabonte, #38-Kvapil, #64-Cassill, #36-Blaney, #87-Nemechek, #26-Schrader and #81-Yeley.
The go-or-go homers who failed to qualify for the race (5): #46-McDowell, #07-Gordon, #55-Cook, #66-Sauter and #92-Setzer ( who withdrew).
See the starting lineup, qualifying speeds and notes on my Martinsville Starting Lineup/Qualifying Results page.(10-22-2010)

Qualifying Fast Facts - Martinsville:
#11-Denny Hamlin won the Coors Light Pole Award for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 with a lap of 19.518 seconds, 97.018 mph.
This is his ninth pole in 183 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his second pole and ninth top-10 start in 2010. His first pole came at Atlanta in September.
This is his second pole in 11 races at Martinsville Speedway. His first Martinsville pole came in April of 2007.
In Hamlin's three Martinsville wins, he has started second (3/08), 17th (10/09) and 19th (3/10).
#47-Marcos Ambrose (second) posted his fifth top-10 start of 2010 and his first in four races at Martinsville Speedway.
#16-Greg Biffle (third) posted his fifth top-10 start at Martinsville Speedway. It is his 14th in 32 races this season.(NASCAR Statistics)(10-22-2010)

Qualifying Order for the Tums Fast Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is posted. 47 cars/drivers are listed. Go-or-go homers will qualify at the end of the session, once the top-35 drivers are done.
The first of the top-35 drivers scheduled to go out is #5-Martin.
The final top-35 driver scheduled to go out is #56-Truex Jr.
The first go-or-go homer scheduled to qualify [36th] is #38-Kvapil with the final driver scheduled to qualify being #26-Schrader.
See the full qualifying order on the Martinsville Qualifying Page.(10-22-2010)

Friday's First practice for the Tum's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway is being over, after 90 scheduled minutes, the top-5, slowest and notes:
#14-Stewart 97.548
#11-Hamlin 97.422
#42-Montoya 97.312
#16-Biffle 97.202
#00-Reutimann 97.172
#83-Kahne = 29th
#9-Almirola = 36th
slowest: #7-Conway 93.999 and #66-Johnny Sauter 94.097
incidents: #66-Sauter said he had something go wrong with the car and backed the car in to the wall, looks like the team will need a backup. #92-Setzer and smacked the wall and looks like the team will need a backup but has none, so the team has withdrawn from the race. #47-Ambrose spun out in turn 2, looks like no damage, cool looking paint scheme on the #47.
See fastest speeds, average speeds, fastest 10-lap average, laps run on my Martinsville Practice Speeds page (10-22-2010)

Some Chassis selections for Martinsville Speedway:#1-Jamie McMurray: Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and the #1 Bass Pro Shops team will bring chassis #1007 to Martinsville this weekend. This chassis was used just last month at Richmond where McMurray finished 17th. The team also used this chassis earlier in the season at the first Richmond event finishing 19th and first Martinsville where McMurray battled handling issues after an on track altercation forcing a 30th-place finish. McMurray and team tested this chassis at Gresham Motorsports Park in August.#2-Kurt Busch and his Steve Addington-led “Blue Deuce” team will be debuting their new “PRS-740” Dodge Charger at the Martinsville Speedway in Virginia this weekend. “This is the new car that we tested with down at Gresham a few weeks back,” crew chief Addington said of the team’s recent test at Gresham Motorsports Park, the half-mile oval asphalt track located near Jefferson, Ga. “We were really happy with how the testing went and think it will help us out this weekend at Martinsville. Kurt really liked the car and we’re hoping to be really competitive with it up there on that tight little short track.”#5-Mark Martin: crew chief Alan Gustafson has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-561 for Sunday's race at Martinsville. The team has used this chassis in its last two trips to Martinsville, notably finishing eighth last October at the short track.#6-David Ragan: Primary: RK-635 last ran Richmond – finished 23rd; Backup: RK-633 last ran Michigan in the fall of 2009 – finished 30th.#12-Brad Keselowski: The #12 Penske Dodge Charger team will use chassis PRS-741 during Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. This is a brand-new chassis to the #12 fleet.#14-Tony Stewart: Chassis No. 14-587 made its debut in March at Martinsville, where it qualified fifth and finished 26th. Prior to Martinsville, Chassis No. 14-587 never turned a wheel on the racetrack. With a new body honed in the wind tunnel, it was tested at The Milwaukee Mile June 1 in preparation for its second career start in June at New Hampshire. There it earned a hard-fought second-place finish after starting 25th. The car returned to New Hampshire for the first event of the 10-race Chase for the Championship, where in its third career start, it qualified third before leading three times for 100 laps. But while leading with less than two laps to go, it ran out of fuel. Stewart coasted around for the final circuit of the 300-lap race and finished 24th.#17-Matt Kenseth: Primary: RK-704 (last run at New Hampshire) at Martinsville, Kenseth will pilot the #17 Crown Royal Black Ford Fusion.#18-Kyle Busch: Chassis No. 277 will make its third-ever start in Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville. No. 277 made its debut at Pocono in August where Busch started 21st and finished 23rd in the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500. In its most recent start, in the Air Guard 400 at Richmond in September, Busch qualified a distant 32nd but rallied to bring home a solid second-place finish behind teammate Denny Hamlin.#19-Elliott Sadler: The #19 RPM team has prepared chassis No. 652 for this weekend’s event. This particular Ford Fusion was last utilized at Dover several weeks ago. Sadler and the #19 team earned a 17th-place finish in that event.#20-Joey Logano: and the #20 GameStop team is taking chassis #275 this weekend. This will be the fourth time this chassis will be raced this season, and it has three top-10 finishes. Logano piloted chassis #275 to a third-place finish at Dover, ninth-place finish at Indianapolis and crossed the stripe 10th at Michigan in August. GameStop District 211 in Columbus, OH, will be the featured on the c-post of the #20 GameStop Toyota this weekend in Martinsville. District 211 has been instrumental in the nation-wide rollout of PowerUp Rewards.#24-Jeff Gordon: Crew chief Steve Letarte has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 24-616 for Sunday's race at Martinsville. The #24 team tested the car at The Milwaukee Mile in August and at Rockingham Speedway last week. Most recently, Gordon drove it to a sixth-place finish at New Hampshire in September.#29-Kevin Harvick: is scheduled to pilot Chassis No. 322 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built new for 2010, this Chevy made its debut at New Hampshire last month, where Harvick finished fifth.#31-Jeff Burton: will race Chassis No. 293 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built new for the 2010 season, Burton drove this Caterpillar Chevy to an 11th-place finish in February at Las Vegas before achieving a 10th-place result at Bristol three weeks later.#33-Clint Bowyer: will race Chassis No. 327 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a brand new #33 racer that will be put through its first paces in this weekend's 500-lap contest. The burgundy, white and gold paint scheme of BB&T, the Winston-Salem, N.C.-based corporation, will adorn Bowyer's #33 Chevy for the first of two consecutive weeks, beginning with this weekend's race at the paper clip-shaped oval in the Old Dominion State.#39-Ryan Newman Chassis No. 39-492 is Newman’s “Martinsville Special.” Newman and the #39 team have run this chassis in all three races the team has competed in at Martinsville since joining efforts in 2009, and it has resulted in three top-10 finishes. Newman finished sixth with the chassis in the spring race at Martinsville last year, and the car didn’t run again during the course of the season until the October race at the Virginia short track.
The team shined up the racecar, loaded it up and traveled to Martinsville, where Newman captured his third career pole at the track and led 23 laps en route to a seventh-place finish. Over the winter, Tony Gibson & Company gave the chassis a new body and added the new spoiler for the 2010 season. Earlier this spring, Newman drove the car from his 26th starting position to his first top-five finish of the year – a fourth-place effort. The car hasn’t started a race since.#42-Juan Pablo Montoya: Brian Pattie and the #42 Target team are bringing chassis #1005 to Martinsville this weekend. This chassis was last run in September at Richmond where Montoya started second and finished seventh. The chassis was also used at the first Martinsville event where Montoya had a tire expire forcing a 36th-place finish.#43-A.J. Allmendinger: The #43 RPM Insignia HDTV team has prepared chassis No. 289 for this weekend’s event at Martinsville Speedway. This chassis has been utilized on several occasions this season including in the most recent event at Richmond where Allmendinger drove to a eighth-place finish.#48-Jimmie Johnson: will pilot chassis No. 540 in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race. He last drove that car to a 25th-place finish at New Hampshire in September. Before that, he took it to Victory Lane in New Hampshire in June. Back up chassis No. 520 has collected four wins in five starts – the most recent coming at Martinsville in March 2009.#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Crew chief Lance McGrew and the #88 engineers will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-562. This will be the second race for this chassis, which Earnhardt raced to a 15th-place finish at Martinsville in March.#98-Paul Menard: Crew chief Slugger Labbe and the #98 RPM crew have prepared chassis No. 619 for this weekend’s event. This is the same Ford that was run in the first event of the 2010 season in Martinsville where Paul Menard qualified the #98 car in ninth place and drove to a 14th-place finish. This is also the same car the team ran in the first event at New Hampshire.#99-Carl Edwards: The #99 Aflac team will unload RK-647 for the weekend. Edwards raced this car at Loudon last month where he finished 11th.
(from team PR's/sites if reported)(10-21-2010)

Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Martinsville:
No one moved in to or out of the top-35. BUT the #7 team is only 5 points ahead of 36th, the #38 team and the #71 is only 20 pts ahead of the #38 team.
34) #71-Cassill-Labonte/TRG: 2191, +20
35) #7-Conway/RGM, 2176, 5 points ahead of 36ththese teams/ drivers must qualify by speed:
36) #38-Gilliland/Front Row: 2171, -5 points out of the top 35
37) #26-Carptenier/Latitude43: 1999, -177
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
For the owner points standings, see my Owners Points Standings page.(10-16-2010)

What happens if qualifying gets canceled/rained out?After the 5th race of the season, the current season OWNERS points are used:
#1) - First 35 by current Owner Points [position 1-35][top 35 teams do NOT need to attempt ALL the races]
#2) - Last Years Sprint Cup Champ or the Event Champion if not already in the field
#3) - Car Owners whose team has won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#4) - Drivers who have won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#5) - ALL Past Sprint Cup Champions not in by 1 thru 4 [is NOT charged against the 6 past champ provisionals]
#6) - Qualifying Attempts [not starts] with Owners points as the tie breaker, if still tied then by best finish
#7) - Qualifying Order Position
(all above apply as long as the team was entered by the entry deadline - usually 7-13 days before the race)

Go or Go Home Drivers to Qualify Together: Teams outside the top 35 in owners points will qualify together at the end of the qualifying session. The thought is that nobody would have an advantage in track conditions.

How to Calculate Track Speeds: use the formula Speed = Distance divided by Time. Distance is Track Length, and Lap Time into Hours. Once hour is 3600 seconds, so the calculation for a 48 second lap at Daytona(2.5 miles) would be: Speed = 2.5 x (3600/48), = 2.5 x 75 = 187.500mph. For a 19 second lap at Bristol(.533 miles): Speed = .533 x (3600/19), = .533 x 189.474 = a speed of 100.990mph

How to break a tie during qualifying? (same speed/time) When drivers are tied for a starting spot during qualifying, it is broken by owners points standings (not drivers points).

Determining Race Line-Ups - Top 35 Guarantee: At the start of the 2005 season, NASCAR instituted a new procedure for establishing the starting race field in the Sprint Cup Series [NSCS]. NASCAR revamped the system by simplifying the procedure with teams no longer accruing provisionals throughout the season to gain entry into the starting fields. While starting positions one through 42 in the NSCS still will be determined by qualifying speed, the new system will assure the highest-ranked 35 positions of the NSCS OWNER [not Driver] championship points that have entered the event prior to the entry deadline [usually 13 days before the day of the race] one of those starting positions in the field, providing they have made an attempt to qualify [which usually means the team at least practiced and made an effort to qualify].
The remaining seven positions [36-42] will be assigned to those drivers with the fastest qualifying speeds whose car owners are not among the top 35. The final starting position [43rd] – the champion’s provisional – can be utilized by a car owner whose driver is a current or past Sprint Cup champion who participated as a driver during the current of previous season and was entered in the event for that owner in that car prior to the entry deadline.
If there is more than one series champion vying for the position, it will be given to the most recent series champion. If the final provisional starting position – 43rd in the Sprint Cup – is not filled by a current or past series champion, it will be assigned to the next eligible car owner according to qualifying results.
Through the first five races of the season for the Sprint Cup, the top 35 in the NSCS of the previous owner championship points entered in the event prior to the entry deadline will be assured one of the 42 starting positions in the field, provided they have made an attempt to qualify. From the sixth race on, the current owner championship points will be used to determine the top 35 each race week. In the event that conditions prevent qualifying from being run, starting positions will be assigned according to the respective series’ current Rule Book.(NASCAR PR)Simple: so the field is set by speed to where the 7th fastest non-top 35 driver is on speed. The any drivers in the top 35 of OWNERS [not drivers points] are placed to the 42nd spot. The 43rd spot is used for the most recent past Sprint Cup champion NOT already in the field from being in the top-35 in owners points or one of the seven no top-35. If their is not past champ for the 43rd spot, it goes to the next fastest [8th fastest driver]

At Martinsville Speedway:
· Opened in September 1947 by H. Clay Earles, Martinsville, originally a dirt track, is one of the oldest continuously-operating race tracks in the United States.
· The first NASCAR-sanctioned race at Martinsville was on July 4, 1948.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was Sept. 25, 1949.
· The track was paved in 1955.
· The first 500-lap event at Martinsville was in 1956.
· Concrete corners were added atop asphalt in 1976.
· There have been 123 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, one in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.
· Curtis Turner won the pole for the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville in 1949.
· Red Byron won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race, which took place on the original – Strictly Stock – schedule.
· 55 drivers have won poles, led by Darrell Waltrip with eight. Jeff Gordon, with seven poles, can tie that mark this weekend.
· Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Darrell Waltrip share the consecutive pole record, each with three.
· 45 different drivers have won, led by Richard Petty’s 15.
· Jeff Gordon leads active drivers, with seven wins. Jimmie Johnson has six.
· Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson have combined to win each of the last eight races.
· 18 races have been won from the pole, the last by Jimmie Johnson in October 2008.
· Petty Enterprises has won 19 races, more than any other organization. Hendrick Motorsports, with 18 wins, can tie that mark this weekend.
· Kurt Busch won the 2002 fall race from the 36th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.
· Three active drivers average a top-10: Jimmie Johnson (5.4), Jeff Gordon (6.7), Denny Hamlin (6.6).
· Tony Stewart won his first career series pole at Martinsville, in April of 1999.
· The last six races that have ended under green have had a margin of victory under one second.
· There have been 269 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Virginia.
· 159 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Virginia.
· There have been 18 race winners from Virginia in NASCAR’s three national series

BB&T returns to Bowyer's car: The burgundy, white and gold paint scheme of BB&T, the Winston-Salem, N.C.-based corporation, will adorn Clint Bowyer's #33 Richard Choldress Racing's Chevy for the first of two consecutive weeks, beginning with this weekend's race at Martinsville and again next week at Talladega (RCR), see images of the scheme on my #33 Team Schemes page.(10-23-2010)

Ambrose to run special Dollar General’s Country Million Sweepstakes scheme: This weekend Australian driver Marcos Ambrose has gone country to promote Dollar General’s Country Million Sweepstakes. Ambrose and the JTG Daugherty Racing team will run a special Dollar General Country Million Sweeps scheme on the #47 Toyota in the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at the half-mile Martinsville Speedway oval. “There are more than 5,000 prizes of cash and gift cards up for grabs, but the best part of the Country Million Sweepstakes is the grand prize, which is a cool $1 million dollars,” Ambrose said. “It’s simple to enter. Visit your local Dollar General store or go to www.dollargeneral.com to find out more.” While Ambrose helps spread the word to fans about Country Million Sweepstakes, he is also looking to top his 11th-place finish he delivered earlier this season at the smallest track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit. “We have three Cup starts at Martinsville Speedway and our best finish is 11th,” Ambrose said. “We’re hoping for a good run there this weekend." Ambrose made his NASCAR debut in 2006 at Martinsville Speedway with JTG Daugherty Racing in the Camping World Truck Series.(JTG Daugherty Racing), see an image of the scheme on my #47 Team Schemes page.(10-22-2010)

Ebay Motors sponsoring Martin at Martinsville: #5-Mark Martin will carry a sponsor new to NASCAR at Martinsville Speedway next month -- eBay Motors. "It's really great because times are tough right now and what a great company that reaches so many people," Martin said of eBay. "We were excited that Quaker State stepped up for next year and to have eBay for Martinsville and we're working on having them be a part of our program going forward. The deal with eBay was brokered for Hendrick Motorsports by Andrew Campagnone, vice president Motorsports Wunderman Charlotte.(Fox Sports), see a diecase image of the car on my #5 team paint schemes page.(9-25-2010)

Gamestop scheme for Logano? UPDATE2 Image: hearing that #20-Joe Logano could run a Game Stop scheme in a future Sprint Cup Series race, possible Martinsville in October. Game Stop is a sponsor for Logano in the Nationwide Series.(9-7-2010)UPDATE: GameStop announced today it will partner with Joe Gibbs Racing to sponsor the #20 Toyota Camry for the Oct. 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Martinsville Speedway. The Tums Fast Relief 500 will be the first foray into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the Grapevine, Texas-based video game retailer. GameStop has sponsored Logano in the NASCAR Nationwide Series since the 20-year-old made his much-anticipated debut in the series in 2008 and has been Logano's primary sponsor for each of his seven-career Nationwide Series victories, including the most recent at Kentucky Speedway in June. "It's awesome to see GameStop make their Sprint Cup sponsorship debut riding along with me at a track like Martinsville," said Logano, who finished a season-best second-place in the Sprint Cup Series event at Martinsville earlier this year. "GameStop has been a great company to work with, and they've been with me since I came into the big leagues of NASCAR in 2008. I'm excited to have the chance to improve on our finish from earlier this year and get GameStop into Victory Lane in the Cup Series."
GameStop has taken a unique approach to their Nationwide Series sponsorship with Joe Gibbs Racing, Since 2008, the #20 GameStop Toyota has featured more than 35 different paint schemes promoting a number of popular video games, gaming systems and gaming accessories. The paint scheme for the Martinsville Speedway car will be unveiled at the track on race weekend. "Our GameStop car always turns heads when it gets unloaded at the track. Whatever paint scheme they come up with for Martinsville will be really cool looking," added Logano. "One of the best things about having GameStop as a sponsor is the uniqueness they bring to the sport. Their stuff draws fans into the sport. I mean, who doesn't like video games and race cars? So this will be a special weekend for all of the GameStop employees and fans out there. I'm looking forward to it." The GameStop sponsorship is a one-race deal for Martinsville only. Home Depot, Logano's primary sponsor in the Sprint Cup Series, will return to sponsor the car for the remainder of the 2010 season.(GameStop Racing)(9-12-2010)IMAGE: see an image of the scheme on my #20 Team Schemes Page.(9-13-2010)

National Guard returns to the #24 in 2010: For the second year in a row, Gordon and the #24 team will be sponsored by the National Guard for eight Sprint Cup Series events. In addition to this weekend at Atlanta, Gordon will partner with the National Guard at seven other venues:
Texas on April 18, Special Forces
Darlington on May 8, Facebook
Michigan on June 13, Job Skills
Richmond on Sept. 11, Military Intelligence Special
New Hampshire on Sept. 19Martinsville on Oct. 24, and
Talladega on Oct. 31.
In eight outings last year with the National Guard on the hood of his #24 Chevy, Gordon scored an average finish of 4.375. His best effort was a win at Texas Motor Speedway in April, while he scored runner-up finishes at Atlanta in March, Michigan in June and Chicago in July. He finished fifth at Darlington in May, third at Richmond in September and fifth at Martinsville in October. Visit the National Guard's www.JeffGordonGuardGarage.com Web site to get free downloads and view exclusive photos of Gordon at the track and sign up for the Fan Club for a chance to win one-of-a-kind prizes.(HMS), see image of the basic scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(3-3-2010)

Sponsor debut for Newman at Vegas: While Ryan Newman embarks on his 299th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend, he will also celebrate an important first for his #39 Stewart-Haas Racing team. Sunday’s Shelby American will be the first of nine races where new sponsor Tornados, a brand of family owned Ruiz Foods, will adorn the #39 Chevy as the team’s primary sponsor (SHR) at the following races:
Las Vegas - 2/28
Atlanta - 3/7
Phoenix - 4/10
Charlotte - All Star Race - 5/22
Daytona - 7/3
Michigan - 8/15
Auto Club Speedway - 10/10Martinsville - 10/24
Texas - 11/7
See a schedule of races for Tornados on my #39 Team News & Links page and images of the scheme on my #39 Team Schemes page.(2-24-2010)

43 Crew Members to be grand marshals at Martinsville: To honor the dedicated road warriors and pit crew members, TUMS will designate all crew members as the Grand Marshals for the 2010 TUMS Fast Relief 500 on Oct. 24. For the first time in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history, 43 crew members, one from each team, will represent all crew members and collectively give the command “Gentlemen, Start Your Engines.” Each team pre-selected the crew member that best represents and embodies the team spirit to give the command. Prior to the TUMS Fast Relief 500, a complete line up of the 43 team-designated grand marshals will be announced often before the race weekend. The grand marshals already announced:• STEVE CHANNING – #00 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
Channing drove Mini Modifieds in his teenage years on tracks around his Seekonk, Mass., home, but like so many racers, struggled to keep his fledgling race team afloat. A move to North Carolina in the mid-1990s and a recommendation from a friend helped land him jobs with drivers Rick Mast and Bill Elliott at the controls. Today, Channing’s role as car chief for driver David Reutimann keeps him busy with every detail pertaining to the team’s racing machines. “I make changes to the car that crew chief Rodney Childers may want during the race weekend,” Channing says. “I go with the car during inspection to make sure everything is good there. I’d say the most nerve-wracking time is between practice and qualifying.”• LEE DODSON – #09 Phoenix Racing Chevy
Dodson began going to short-track races around his Courtland, Va. home when he was only three years old. His dad and uncles raced, and a decade later, Dodson helped turn wrenches on Mini-stocks, Late Models and Hooters Pro Cup cars. After completing high school, he graduated from the Bobby Isaac Motorsports program at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, N.C., and began his Sprint Cup career as a general mechanic with Wood Brothers Racing in 2005. He joined his present team, Phoenix Racing, in March of 2010. "It's very cool to be working in Sprint Cup," Dodson says. "With our team, we don't have a designated driver, so I get to work with several and I enjoy that. Since we are so short staffed, I get to learn more which is a good thing. I love setting up cars and working with suspensions. That's what I like the most."• BENJY GRUBBS - #1 Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing Chevy
After a trip with his parents to the old Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway to see a Sprint Cup (then Winston Cup) race in 1983, Grubbs fell in love with NASCAR. When his own plans to drive race cars fell through due to lack of finances, he used his skills as a welder taught to him by his dad to build race cars for his hero, Darrell Waltrip, when the three-time champion drove for Tyler Jet Motorsports in 1998. From there, he moved to Roush-Fenway Racing and driver Matt Kenseth from 1999 to 2005 and on to his present role as chassis fabricator and gas man for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing. “It’s really something to see raw tubing on a shop floor and the next thing you know, there’s a race car sitting there,” Grubbs says. “I really love the competition on Sundays, especially when you win the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 like we have this season.”• CINDY LEWIS - #2 Penske Racing Dodge
A native of Secretary, Md., Lewis is a co-driver of the #2 Penske racing transporter along with husband Bill “Stump” Lewis. While at the track, she helps maintain what’s known as the team’s rolling shop while preparing meals for the crew. Having had grandparents in the restaurant business and a mom who cooked for the school system, it’s easy to see why she enjoys making special dishes for the crew. “Cooking basically runs in my blood,” Lewis says. “To me, it’s like family working with the guys. We are all really close and close to their wives and children. It’s great to be able to enjoy your job and work with such a great group of people.”• KYLE TURNER - #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy
As a gift for his 18th birthday, Turner and some friends attended a NASCAR event at Richmond International Raceway in 2002. The next year, he attended a vocational school provided through his high school which led to graduation from the NASCAR Institute in Mooresville, N.C., in 2004. Today, the 26-year old from Yorktown, Va., works as an assembly mechanic for Hendrick Motorsports and driver Mark Martin during the week and front tire changer during pit stops on race day. “I sat up in the Dogwood section of the grandstands that day and wondered how to get down there, and here I am,” Turner says. “It’s very exciting. It’s cool to be able to see something you dreamed of doing when you were younger and to accomplish it is really special. Most people get cold chills at the start of the Daytona 500, but I have that happen to me when I go to Richmond.”• RYAN McCRAY - #6 Roush Racing Ford
Having grown up around race cars owned and driven by father, NASCAR Winston West Champion Rick McCray, Ryan completed an award-winning high school baseball career as a catcher before moving east from San Bernardino, Calif. To follow his own racing career. The former catcher now works as a fabricator for the #6 team and driver David Ragan in the shop during the week and carries 85-pound tires during pit stops on race day. “I’m competitive and love being part of a team,” McCray says. “I love being able to help make the team better through what I do.”• KEVIN DUNCAN - #9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
A native of New Zealand, Duncan raced dirt bikes and built suspensions and shocks for his two-wheel machines before moving to race cars in the early 1990s. His work with an Indy Car team in California led to a chance to move to North Carolina in 2000 to work with the former PPI Motorsports team owned by Cal Wells. Duncan was familiar with NASCAR, having followed heroes Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison through TV broadcasts of races shown in his native country. Over the past decade, he has worked with both the #9 and #19 teams with former team owner Ray Evernham and now with Richard Petty Motorsports. He also carries rear tires during pit stops for the #9 team on race day. “I really didn’t come to the states to work with a NASCAR team. It just kind of worked out that way,” Duncan says. “I’m pretty thankful to be doing this. I’m lucky to have this opportunity. I just love racing, the pit stops and competing.• TIM SPARKMAN - #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
When Sparkman’s grandparents owned and operated St. Mary’s Speedway in St. Genevieve. Mo., the teenager had plenty of access to race cars and the tools needed to make them go fast. While there, he had access to Late Model and ASA machines that offered a perfect place to learn. A move to North Carolina in 1998 paid off when he met NASCAR driver Ken Schrader and went to work. More opportunities followed over the years, and today, he serves as a shock specialist at Joe Gibbs Racing. “I love the competition, that’s for sure,” Sparkman says. “This will be my last year on the road so I can be a little more of a dad at home. But I’ll be doing something at the shop for team owners Joe and J.D. Gibbs.”• DAVID DOYLE - #12 Penske Racing Dodge
Decades past his childhood, Doyle remembers sitting behind the wheel of his dad’s race car playing with the steering wheel, pedals and shifter. He would often pretend he was on the track fighting for position just like the champion driver, mentor and hero he admired. Doyle eventually followed in his father’s footsteps as a racer, but the high costs of fielding a team sent his career in a different direction. Today, Doyle helps prepare each of the #12 machines Penske Racing brings to the track to make sure they are race ready. “Being competitive is what it’s all about for me,” Doyle says. “You have to have competition in your blood to be able to do this seven days a week.” • GREG OSBORNE - #13 Germain Racing Toyota
Stock car racing came into Osborne’s life as a result of his parents spending their Saturday nights at short tracks around his hometown of Hampton, N.H. Osborne started helping friends on race cars at age 12 and raced go-karts at age 17. Realizing it was too expensive to race, the next best thing was to return to working on people’s cars. After working in the Camping World Touring Series 1992, 1993 and 1994, he moved to North Carolina to work in Sprint Cup racing. Osborne, an avid golfer and mountain biker when time permits, works as the team’s car chief during the week and handles catch can duties on race day. “Going over the wall is a lot of fun and a good adrenalin rush,” Osborne says. “I changed tires for 14 years and just started catching gas this year. It’s a blast to step up on that wall and do a stop to help your driver win the race. That’s one of the biggest rushes I’ve ever had. When you pull off that stop that helps you win the race, you feel like you’re a big part of that.”• ADAM GRAVITT - #14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy
Instead of being involved in neighborhood football games as a child, Gravitt spent his time working at nearby South Boston Speedway and Orange County Speedway just to be around the cars. He kept watching and learning the tricks of the trade before completing a degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech. Today, Gravitti works as a shock specialist for the team. “I love what I do,” Gravitt says. “There’s a lot of travel, but as far as the competition goes, that’s what makes it all worth while.” • TODD ZEIGLER - #16 Roush-Fenway Racing Ford
While living in northern Indiana, Zeigler began his racing career after his mother-in-law, a beautician, got word through a client that a local race team needed help. He volunteered his time for American Speed Association (ASA) driver and team owner Bob Senneker, of Grand Rapids, Mich., with duties as a water boy, catch can man, tire carrier and tire changer. After obtaining a degree in Automotive Service Management in 1992 from Lincoln Technical College in Indianapolis, Zeigler began a career in NASCAR. “I’ve never driven race cars other than just being involved in some go-kart leagues,” Zeigler says. “I’ve always had a knack for mechanics and tinkering with chassis and engines and things. Now I do it full time and love it."• JUSTIN NOTTESTAD - #17 Roush-Fenway Racing Ford
With his dad and uncle heavily involved in short track racing around the state of Wisconsin, Nottestad began racing his own cars in the four-cylinder class at Jefferson Speedway, Columbus Speedway and Madison International in Wisconsin at the age of 16. When Sprint Cup driver Matt Kenseth moved south to pursue a career in NASCAR, Nottestad followed suit and began his career as well. Presently, Nottestad works as shop foreman for the #17 Roush-Fenway operation during the week and is a front tire changer during Sprint Cup events. “This is something everyone dreams about if you’re a racer and it’s a dream come true for me,” Nottestad says. “They’ve usually not seen anything like Sprint Cup racing and this is where they want to be.”• KIRK BUTTERFIELD - #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
One could say Butterfield’s path to Sprint Cup first began as a straight line. The Carrolton, Ohio native began his career as an engine tuner for Funny Car drag racing champion John Force in 1987. Sprint Cup team owner Joe Gibbs formed a drag racing team in 1994, but when he closed it to concentrate solely on NASCAR racing in 2000, Butterfield moved to the oval-track team based in Huntersville, N.C. Today, he works as an engine tuner for Kyle Busch and the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “The biggest challenge you have as an engine tuner is finding fuel mileage while trying to get the car to go as fast as possible,” said Butterfield. “But when I’m not doing that, I spend time working on a Rat Rod and also enjoy hunting.”• RAMON ZAMBRANO - #19 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
A shock specialist for the #19 Richard Petty Motorsports team and driver Elliott Sadler, Zambrano, an El Salvador-born crewman, grew up in Arlington, Texas. Upon completing high school, he graduated from Universal Technical Institute in 2001 in Houston. On race day, he serves on the over-the-wall crew when NASCAR allows an eighth man. “I like the fact everyone works as a team and contributes to the results of the weekend,” Zambrano says. “I like to give it 100 percent every week and I know everyone on the team does, too. I just like that feeling. We’re a team in the good times as well as the bad.”• ERIC GROEN – #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
A native of Sioux Center, Iowa, Groen raced go-karts as a child while following NASCAR through newspapers, radio and TV. After high school, he chose a college that would allow him to be closer to NASCAR in hopes of working for a team. Groen graduated from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., with a degree in business and in 2004 found an opportunity to work as a general mechanic and tire carrier with the former Petty Enterprises. Groen did the same for Red Bull Racing before his present role as sponsor manager with Joey Logano and the Joe Gibbs Racing's #20 Home Depot team. He is a liaison between team and sponsor during the week and works as a rear tire carrier for Kyle Busch during Nationwide races and does the same for Logano on Sprint Cup race day. "My background is on the mechanical side of things, so that's a little more natural for me, but when I went to Gibbs, they had a position open on the office side," Groen says. "My roles with the team are diverse. I enjoy doing both very much. Joe and J.D. Gibbs are upstanding guys and the leadership at Joe Gibbs Racing is the best I've seen in my career."• JASON BURDETT - #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy
With a father and cousins deep into dirt track racing around his Arkport, N.Y. home, Jason Burdett grew up with a dream of someday making a career for himself at the NASCAR Sprint Cup level. When his parents began scoring NASCAR events in the mid 1990s, he immediately sought to make his own mark in the sport upon graduation in 1995. Burdett spent several seasons changing tires and handling catch-can duties for Dale Jarrett and the former Robert Yates Racing and Jeff Gordon and the #24 Hendrick Motorsports operation before becoming car chief for the team. Today, he assists crew chief Steve Letarte with making sure the car is race ready. “I just really enjoy the competition,” Burdett says. “We’re all friends in the garage area so it’s fun to go out and compete and outrun each other.”• MARK WILLIAMS - #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevy
After working on dirt Late Models and spending a decade operating his own trucking business, Williams began driving transporters for Richard Childress Racing when an extra driver was needed for trips to the West Coast for Sprint Cup events. The assignments increased for the native of Martinsville, Va., to the point that he is now a full-time driver for the team. While at the track, his duties include unloading tool boxes, getting the car unloaded and ready for initial service by the crew, setting up the garage stalls and taking care of all the mechanical components on the transporter. “Driving the truck is a very small part of it,” Williams says. “But I drive all over the country and meet a lot of people who would love to do what I do.”• JONATHAN WALLACE - #31 Richard Childress Racing Chevy
A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Wallace grew up in a family of racers that included himself, his dad, cousins and uncles. They competed on the dirt tracks around Elizabeth City, N.C., and Asheboro, N.C. In 1998, Wallace graduated from Forsyth (County) Technical College’s automotive program that included one year of motorsports and building late-model race cars before joining the former Petty Enterprises in 2000. In 2003, he joined Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and currently builds front clips for all of the RCR teams. On Sundays, he works as front tire carrier for Jeff Burton and the #31 team. “The most exciting part of being a tire carrier is the adrenalin you feel while trying to perform accurately and quickly in the midst of a chaotic situation,” said Wallace. “I want to be the very best crewman I can be, whether at the shop or going over the wall each week.”• SCOTT BREWER - #33 Richard Childress Racing Chevy
The son of well-known former crew chief and present-day television broadcaster Tim Brewer, Brewer grew up in the sport and spent several years driving Legend cars and Late Models before turning his attention to obtaining a degree in mechanical engineering. Brewer grew up going to races almost every weekend and decided to build a career in the sport like his famous father. He now maintains cars for the teams, handles water duties and windshield tear-offs during pit stops. “Racing was always a part of my life,” Brewer says. “My dad realized I was going to get into racing. I’ve been with RCR since 2005, and I’m very happy to be a part of this team.” • JONATHAN SALMONS - #34 Front Row Racing Ford
A native of Bassett, Va., Salmons moved from working as a mechanic at a local car dealership in 2004 to turning wrenches on Late Model stock cars with some hometown friends. A year later, he joined Craftsman Truck Series driver and team owner Bobby Dotter and moved on to Roush-Yates Engines in 2006. His first Sprint Cup opportunity came in 2010 with Front Row Racing and driver David Gilliland. The graduate of Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Va., presently tunes engines for the team and loves every minute of it. "In Sprint Cup, you're at the top level as far as NASCAR goes," Salmons says. "You're the best of the best and that means a lot. I started at the very bottom you might say, working on race cars and engines and have been able to work my way to the top. It's an honor to be a part of NASCAR and a crew member in Sprint Cup."• JIM BYRNE - #37 Front Row Motorsports Ford
An avid racer of Late Models on the famed, local short tracks around his Long Island, N.Y., home, Byrne moved to North Carolina 20 years ago and got his break in NASCAR in 1995 when former team owner Butch Mock needed help with his Sprint Cup team. Byrne has been working on a variety of chassis components ever since. In addition to working on fuel cells during the week at Front Row Racing’s shop, he also works with shocks, springs and rear-end gears at the track. When it comes time to get the car through inspection, Byrne is right there watching the process to help answer any questions NASCAR officials may have. “This is a good bunch of guys and we have David Gilliland behind the wheel and he’s a good driver,” said Byrne. “I’m also the eighth man over the wall on Sundays. I’m the old guy now. I do driver comfort during the race, such as ice packs, drinks and such. And I do body repairs on pit road if we have any accidents on the track.”• ALAN HOWARD - #38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
A native of Covington, Va., Howard didn’t set out to become a crew member for a Sprint Cup team. His career with a major US airline was going well when he and NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield became friends in the late 1990s. More and more visits to Mayfield’s Michael Kranefuss Racing shop set the foundation for becoming a full-time crew member. When Howard’s job with the air carrier was eliminated, he found his new calling in NASCAR. Today, Howard works as shock specialist and mentor for many of the younger members of the team. “I guess the way I came into NASCAR was a different way to get into racing,” Howard says. “I enjoy the travel and meeting people and doing different things.” • KEVIN PENNELL - #39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy
Earlier in his life, Pennell thought of stock car racing as a hobby, but followed it closely, having grown up around the heart of stock car racing in Kannapolis, N.C. For three years, he raced Limited Late Models and Super Stocks at Concord (N.C.) Speedway and worked part-time in 1994 helping Dale Earnhardt Sr. at Dale Earnhardt Inc. The following year, Pennell joined the organization fulltime and later helped build Nationwide Series cars for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Today, when he isn’t providing bulls for local rodeos, Pennell works as car chief for Ryan Newman and Stewart-Haas Racing. “My job with the team is to make sure the car gets through technical inspection and handle everything pertaining to the car prior to the race,” Pennell says. “That includes chassis set-ups and anything the crew chief, Tony Gibson, feels we need to do to the car.”• RYAN QUANN - #42 Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing Chevy
With parents having connections to NASCAR and serving the sport in various roles, Quann has been around stock car racing his entire life. The graduate of the Bobby Isaac Motorsports program at Catawba County Community College in Hickory, N.C., took his chassis-building skills to the Sprint Cup team owned by Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. Through a friend, the avid golfer and snowboarder received an invitation to work for the organization and presently helps the team in various capacities. “I’m in the composite-component shop building carbon-fiber parts for the cars,” Quann says. “On Sundays, I work in a pit support role. I was in the right place at the right time when I started with this team, and I love being here.”• BRIAN DANTINNE - #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
Born in Wallace, Mich., in 1967, Dantinne began his career by turning wrenches on race cars at the local short tracks at the age of 12. He spent time in the American Speed Association ranks before moving to NASCAR. For the past three seasons, he has worked as car chief for the #43 Fords made famous by team owner and seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty. “My job both on race day and back at the shop is to oversee the guys working on the car and making sure everything is performing the way it’s supposed to,” Dantinne says. “My favorite part of the job is meeting new people and traveling. It’s a people sport. We get to see new parts of the country and enjoy new venues. I never dreamed I could make a career of racing but I’ve been involved now for 30 years. It’s been a fun ride.”• BOB BECHSTEIN - #47 JTG Daughtery Racing Toyota
Since the 1970s, Bechstein has been involved with several different forms of racing. In addition to stock cars and super modified, the early part of his career was spent around open-wheel racing – IndyCar. By the late 1980s, the Sandusky, Ohio-native built an engine business that opened the door to opportunities the Nationwide Series. In the late 1990s, he joined former Sprint Cup team owner Travis Carter and has been in Sprint Cup since. He currently serves as the front-suspension specialist with the #47 team and driver Marcos Ambrose. “I’ve been racing my whole life and I guess I’ve never had a real job,” Bechstein says. “What I enjoy most is taking a bunch of mechanical pieces and doing the best you can with them. Seeing the end result at the end of the night is what it’s all about.”• RON MALEC - #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy
A native of Franklin, Wis., Malec began racing go-karts as an eight-year-old competitor. Like so many fellow crew members, he began his career on the short tracks, working on and driving race cars. Malec aspired to become a Sprint Cup driver, but when finances ran low, fate placed him with driver Jimmie Johnson during his days of racing off-road trucks and later American Speed Association cars. Malec has been at Johnson’s side throughout and has enjoyed the spoils of four consecutive Sprint Cup championships. He has changed tires during his Sprint Cup career and presently holds the position of car chief. “I help direct the pit crew as far as changes to the car during the race and if there’s a crash, I have to handle that also,” Malec says. “I really enjoyed working with cars as far as racing goes. That’s what I’ve done my whole life. To do something you love for a living is pretty easy. When I’m not racing, I enjoy restoring old cars.”• BRIAN CHASE - #56 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
While in high school shop class working with cars, Chase discovered his friend’s Dad owned a gas station. As pay for pumping gas after school, they were allowed to use the shop to work on street stocks and hobby stocks raced on local short tracks. An invitation to work for free on a Busch North (now Camping World North) car led to a trip south in 1997 to apply for a job in NASCAR‘s Sprint Cup arena. Chase and his friend landed a job with Diamond Ridge Motorsports. Today, Chase, an avid bike racer and marathon runner, builds and installs rear-ends, trailing arms and all the rear suspension on David Reutimann’s #00 Toyota and handles the jack on race day for the #56 car driven by Martin Truex Jr. “The decision to go racing meant turning down a scholarship to play hockey for Sacred Heart University (in Fairfield, CT.),” Chase says, “But racing is all I’ve ever done and I love what I do.”• NICK HENSLEY - #77 Penske Racing Dodge
While growing up in a family of racers in Asheville, N.C., his Friday nights were all about turning wrenches on race cars at the famed Asheville-Weaverville Speedway. In 2005, the avid former baseball star graduated King College in Bristol, Tenn. with a B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Having suffered injuries on the field, Hensley had his sights on pre-med and aspirations of becoming a hand surgeon. His passion to race was too strong to ignore. The present-day front-end mechanic and race-day gas man is much happier pursuing his duties with the #77 Sprint Cup team. “The crew chief may make a change to the front of the car and I’m responsible for making sure that change gets made in a timely manner,” Hensley says. “My job is to make sure nothing falls off the front end of the car.”• ODIE HUGHES - #78 Furniture Row Racing Chevy
Hughes began his racing career with driver Larry Thomas, brother of NASCAR driver Herb Thomas, in 1962. He swept Thomas' garage floors, performed odd jobs around the shop and began traveling to races to help pit the car for Thomas. Over a period of several decades, Hughes has worked with many NASCAR legends including Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip and Bill Elliott and was a member of Terry Labonte’s championship team in 1984. “I’ve done a little bit of everything,” Hughes says. “I’ve been a jack man, cleaned the windshield (before tear-offs) and worked as a catch can man which is what I do today. But working with Terry in 1984 and winning it all that year was probably the best time of my career.”• PETE WRIGHT - #82 Red Bull Racing Toyota
Over the past three decades, Wright has contributed to numerous victories among a variety of NASCAR champions. The Thomasville, N.C.-native works as a consultant of sorts with the #82 Red Bull Racing team, offering a great deal of experience in virtually every area of race car construction and race strategy. Presently a builder of fuel cells for the team, Wright has spent years of his career working as crew chief with many prominent Sprint Cup teams. “I’m a road mechanic with the 82 team, but I’m kind of like the granddaddy for the younger guys,” said Wright. “If someone has a problem with something, they rely on me. I’d say I’m probably the most experienced road mechanic in NASCAR other than maybe Dale Inman (crew chief for seven-time champion Richard Petty). I still enjoy it. As long as I’m able to do it, I’ll be here.”• ADAM WRIGHT - #83 Red Bull Racing Toyota
Thomasville, N.C.-native Adam Wright is following in the footsteps of his father Pete Wright, a former well-known crew chief who has worked with such drivers as Terry Labonte, Darrell Waltrip and Hut Stricklin, to name a few. Wright works alongside his father at Red Bull Racing on the #83 team as road mechanic contributing to the team in various capacities. Some of his responsibilities include making sure the team transporter is fully equipped for each of the 36 Sprint Cup races on the schedule. “My dad has done some cool things,” Wright says. “Now I have more of an understanding of what he knows and how much he can offer. To be with Red Bull is really great because they are a great company. I will always remember 2009 with Brian Vickers making the Chase and enjoying my first win.”• DAVID BRYANT - #88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy
Go-kart racing and Grand Stock competition at South Boston Speedway led Bryant on a path to one of the premier teams in NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports. The Farmville, Va., native began his career with former Nationwide Series driver Hank Parker Jr. before moving to Melling Racing and driver Stacy Compton. At Hendrick Motorsports, he worked on the #48 team driven by Jimmie Johnson before becoming car chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr., making sure his Chevrolets are well prepared for each event on the 36-race schedule. “Racing is all I’ve ever done,” Bryant says. “This is a family here in NASCAR and going down this road is cool. Doing something like this is awesome.”• PAUL BALMER - #98 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
A native of Elmira, N.Y., Balmer began his racing career right out of high school and raced Late Models and Street Stocks locally at such tracks as Owego Shangra-La Speedway and Black Rock Speedway. Balmer moved to North Carolina in 1995 to pursue a career in NASCAR. He serves in various roles as a team mechanic at the shop and works as a road mechanic when at the race track. “What I enjoy most is seeing the car run up front on race day and just working on it,” Balmer says. “It’s not really a job. It’s just something fun to do. I‘m happy doing what I‘m doing.” • JEREMY DYER - #99 Roush-Fenway Racing Ford
Saturday nights for Dyer always meant going to watch his family race around local short tracks in his native state of California. Throughout his life, he watched his grandfather, father and uncle, Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday, work on and race the cars that sat in the family race shop. Over the years, Dyer followed the racing path and like his famous uncle, moved to the east coast to follow his passion as a NASCAR crewman. He steadily progressed through each of NASCAR’s premier divisions and now sets up race car chassis during the week and carries front tires for Carl Edwards’ #99 Roush-Fenway Racing Fords.
In addition to the grand marshal program, TUMS once again has designated all fans attending the TUMS Fast Relief 500 as the “Official Starter” for the event. Each fan will receive a commemorative flag. Following the lead of the NASCAR flagman, fans will participate in the official start of the race. Tickets to the TUMS Fast Relief 500 now are on sale. For more information, call 877.722.3849 or visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com.(Tums)(10-20-2010)

WSSU Marching Band Set For Martinsville National Anthem: The Winston-Salem State University marching band will entertain race fans with its precision marching and music prior to the TUMS Fast Relief 500 next Sunday and then perform a stirring traditional version of the National Anthem. Dubbed the “Red Sea Of Sound,” the Winston-Salem State marching band has received national recognition for its performances around the country. The WSSU band has over 150 members and is led by five high-energy drum majors. “We are very excited about having the Winston-Salem State band here. I’ve seen them perform and they put on an amazing show,” said Martinsville Speedway President W. Clay Campbell. “Their half-mile march around Martinsville Speedway is going to be pretty exciting. And I think everyone will enjoy and appreciate their traditional version of the National Anthem.” The band will perform at noon, entering the track through the fourth-turn cross-over gate and marching clockwise around the track to the start-finish line. Winston-Salem State University, located in Winston-Salem, NC, is a historically black university offering baccalaureate and graduate programs to a diverse student population. The flyover for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 will be provided by two F-18s, VFA 83 Rampagers from the U.S. Navy Air Station in Oceana. The planes will be flying in a north-south direction, from the third and fourth turns to the first and second turns. Tickets for all events may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com online.(Martinsville Speedway)(10-20-2010)

Youngsters Read Way to TV appearance at Martinsville Speedway: Reading pays big rewards in many different ways. Just ask any of the more than 2,000 elementary school students who participated in Martinsville Speedway’s Fifth Annual Read Your Way to the Race program. Two of the more than 400 classes that participated in the program will get to appear on national television as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance prior to the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on October 23 and the TUMS Fast Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race on October 24. A third class will have the opportunity to get their picture taken with the winner of the Kroger 200. One student will get to stand on-stage for the Kroger 200 pre-race activities, another will ride along in the pace car for the start of the Kroger 200, and another will participate in Kroger 200 victory lane celebrations. Three more classes won the opportunity to have pizza parties at Martinsville Speedway after race weekend. This fall 405 classrooms in three school systems – Martinsville City Schools, Henry County Schools and Pittsylvania County Schools – participated. The goal was for each participating student to read either 15 chapters or 15 books, depending on individual reading levels. In the end, 2,022 students successfully completed the assignment. All students who reached their goal will be admitted to either the Kroger 200 or the TUMS Fast Relief 500 free. Their parents can purchase discounted tickets to either event. Tickets for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 begin at $25 and range to $77. Tickets to the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on October 23 are $30 in advance, with children 12 and under admitted free. Tickets for Farm Bureau Pole Day, which features practice and qualifying for both the Kroger 200 and the TUMS Fast Relief 500, are $15, children 12 and under admitted free. Tickets for all events may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com online.(10-15-2010)

Martinsville Speedway tickets deals: The $99 Family 4 Pack for this fall’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway is a pretty sweet deal and now it’s even sweeter. In addition to great racing and food for one pretty amazing price, two Martinsville Speedway hats have been added to the package. The Family 4 Pack includes two adult tickets and two children’s tickets (18 and under) to the TUMS Fast Relief 500 along with vouchers for The Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog (four), four Pepsi products and two khaki-colored Martinsville Speedway hats. The $99 Family 4 Pack seats are located in rows 6 through 14 of the Clay Earles Tower overlooking the second turn. Tickets for the entire TUMS Relief 500 weekend are now on sale. Tickets for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 begin at $25 and range to $77. Tickets to the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on October 23 are $30 in advance, with children 12 and under admitted free. Tickets for Farm Bureau Pole Day, which features practice and qualifying for both the Kroger 200 and the TUMS Fast Relief 500, are $15, children 12 and under admitted free. Tickets for all events may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or by visiting martinsvillespeedway.com online.(10-12-2010)

Martinsville Speedway Offering Lots Of Bargains: The TUMS Fast Relief 500, the only short-track stop in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, is just over a month away, but plenty of affordable ticket options remain for race fans. In fact, there is a ticket package or price to suit most every race fan’s needs. Check out some of Martinsville Speedway’s great ticket offers for the TUMS Fast Relief 500:
All-you-can-eat specials will be offered in two grandstands, the Clay Earles Tower and the backstretch seating, for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 on October 24. For $65, fans can get a seat in the Clay Earles Tower, rows 15-52, and an all-you-can-eat wristband that is good from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on race day. The price for a child 18 and under is $20.For just $35, fans can get a backstretch ticket and an all you can eat wristband. Both all-you-can-eat specials can be ordered by calling 877.RACE.TIX.
The $99 Family 4 Pack includes two adult tickets and two children’s tickets (18 and under) to the TUMS Fast Relief 500 along with vouchers for The Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog™ (four), four Pepsi products and two khaki-colored Martinsville Speedway hats. The $99 Family 4 Pack seats are located in rows 6 through 14 of the Clay Earles Tower overlooking the second turn.
Backstretch seats are $25 along with the first five rows of seats in the Sprint Tower, the Clay Earles Tower and the South Annex. Seats in the Clay Earles Tower overlooking the second turn are $55. Children’s tickets in the Clay Earles Tower are only $10 when purchased with an adult ticket. All seats in Bill France Tower are $40. Seats in the Sprint Tower are $65.
Tickets for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 and the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race may be purchased by calling 877.722.3849 (877.RACE.TIX) or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com online.(Martinsville Speedway)(9-30-2010)

'Big' Announcement by Martinsville Speedway UPDATE: Speedway officials say it might be the track's biggest announcement in 10 years. The Martinsville Speedway plans to make a major announcement Thursday afternoon about facility upgrades and additions. They aren't releasing any more specific details about the announcement, but supposedly several state and local officials plan to attend.(WSET.com)(8-26-2010)UPDATE: Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and state and local officials announced today a Tobacco Commission grant and other initiatives that will help provide an enhanced fan experience at Martinsville Speedway. The Tobacco Commission awarded Martinsville Speedway a grant of $1.5 million dollars, which will be matched by Martinsville Speedway for a $3 million project to upgrade facility infrastructure. As part of the agreement with the Tobacco Commission, International Speedway Corporation (ISC) has committed to two Sprint Cup races annually at Martinsville Speedway for at least the next five years. Bolling, the Chief Jobs Creation Officer for the Commonwealth, also announced that the Virginia Department of Transportation had already begun work on the construction of a new on/off ramp on US 58 adjacent to the speedway, which will improve traffic flow on race weekends.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) has also committed to help promote Martinsville Speedway’s Sprint Cup events in its nation-wide marketing campaigns. Earlier this summer the VTC announced it would also sponsor Martinsville Speedway’s annual Late Model Stock Car event, which is now The Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300. According to Frith Construction Company, general contractor for the improvement project, the equivalent of 50 fulltime jobs will be created for the duration of that project. Also, 94% of all subcontractors and vendors will come from the immediate area. Work will begin on the first phase of the infrastructure upgrades immediately after the TUMS Fast Relief 500 on October 24 and will be finished before Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 on April 3. Campbell said because of time constraints between events, the construction would be done in several phases between events.(Martinsville Speedway)(8-26-2010)

Martinsville Cup Races Both Week Later In 2011: Martinsville Speedway will again host two NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2011, but both races will be a week later than in recent years. NASCAR announced that the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 is scheduled for Sunday, April 3 while the TUMS Fast Relief 500 will be held on Sunday, October 30. “There was quite a bit of shuffling in the schedule for next year and we are really pleased with the new dates NASCAR has for us,” said Martinsville Speedway President W. Clay Campbell. “Our spring date is a little further into spring and our second date still falls at a very comfortable time in this part of Virginia. We think that both of our 2011 dates are great for our fans and should provide two great weekends.”(Martinsville PR)(8-13-2010)

Notes: Teams in both NASCAR series in action at Martinsville this weekend will run the same tire codes, though the Sprint Cup tires will be branded "Goodyear Eagle," while the Camping World Truck tires will be branded "Goodyear Wrangler" . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that these teams ran at Martinsville earlier this season . . . this is the only track at which either of these two Goodyear tire codes will be run in 2010 . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Martinsville.

DRIVER/TEAM/TESTING NEWS

Hermie Sadler to run at Martinsville UPDATE: hearing that Hermie Sadler [current SPEED reporter and part time NASCAR driver] will run the #71 TRG Motorsports Chevy at Martinsville Speedway on October 24th. Supposedly the car will come from RCR and prepared by Kevin Harvick Inc.(10-12-2010)UPDATE: TRG Motorsports will have Hermie Sadler behind the wheel of the #71 TRG Motorsports Chevy at this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Tums Fast Relief 500 to be run at Martinsville Speedway. Sadler, NASCAR racer and SPEED Channel reporter, is no stranger to the tight Martinsville .526-mile layout, often called the paperclip. Sadler has 59 starts in the Sprint Cup Series, nine of those at Martinsville. He has a fourth place finish there in the Nationwide Series in 1993 and a fifth place in the Camping World Truck Series in 1995. The Emporia, Virginia native is ready to get back behind the wheel at his favorite short track.
"Martinsville is one of my home tracks here in the state of Virginia," Sadler said. "I have been going to races there since I was five years old. I have run late models, Nationwide Series and truck races there. If I had to pick one Sprint Cup race to do, it is going to be Martinsville."
Kevin Buckler, team owner, is anxious to see what Sadler can do at Martinsville. "This is going to be a really fun deal," Buckler said. "We were looking to hire a driver to run Martinsville that had a strong track record there and that can help us stay in the top 35 in owner's points. Hermie fits the bill perfectly. I had to wrestle him out of the SPEED booth to run this weekend. We have always done well kind of going off the reservation and finding that someone that others might have overlooked. I think Hermie is that guy, especially at Martinsville. Martinsville is a very tough short track and one that Hermie loves and is a local fan favorite. He has a genuine passion and understanding for the track. I can't wait to see what happens this Sunday."(TRG)(10-18-2010)